To Forget and Be Forgotten

Content Warning: Graphic gore, body horror, distorted intimacy, and psychological horror.

Chapter 11

The room lay quiet.

Only the soft rhythm of their breathing disturbed the silence. The air felt heavy, almost sweet, like the tunnel itself was holding its breath along with them.

Liora held her from behind, arms wrapped warm and close. Seren melted deeper into the embrace, eyes half-closed, her body still relaxed and humming from the night’s fragile peace. For once, everything felt almost normal.

Liora’s lips moved slowly.

Down the curve of her neck.

Gentle at first. Teasing.

Seren smiled faintly against the pillow, a quiet flutter rising in her chest.

She’s going to mark me.

The thought filled her with strange warmth. She tilted her head to the side, offering more of her throat without hesitation. This was what she had been waiting for. A real mark. Something to prove that Liora was still hers. That the tunnel hadn’t completely stolen her.

Teeth brushed lightly across her skin.

Then pressed down.

The bite began sharp. Possessive.

Almost loving.

Seren let out a small, pleased sigh.

But the pressure didn’t ease.

It grew.

Deeper.

Harder.

Seren’s breath caught in her throat.

Pain bloomed suddenly, bright and wet.

Too wet.

Her eyes flew open in confusion.

Liora’s jaw locked tight against her flesh.

A sick, wet tearing sound filled the quiet room.

Flesh ripped away in a ragged chunk.

Seren screamed.

The sound tore out of her, raw and shattering, echoing off the pulsing walls.

Hot blood poured down her neck and shoulder in thick streams, soaking into the sheets and turning them dark. The metallic smell rose fast and sharp.

She tried to pull away in panic.

Liora’s hands slammed her wrists back down against the mattress with terrifying strength.

Too strong.

Completely unnatural.

The warmth vanished in an instant.

Not the body heat.

The feeling of her.

What remained on top of her now wore Liora’s face like a poorly fitted mask. The smile stretching across those lips was wrong. Far too wide. The corners split just a little too far, revealing hints of something hungry underneath.

“Liora…?”

Seren’s voice cracked, already growing weak.

No answer came.

Only the slow, wet sound of chewing.

The thing shifted above her.

It moved fully on top of her in one fluid motion.

Knees pinning her hips down hard.

One cold hand gripped her jaw, forcing her mouth open wide.

The kiss came like drowning.

Deep.

Violent.

Starving.

Liora’s mouth crushed against hers, tongue shoving in too far, too forcefully. Seren couldn’t breathe at all. Her lungs burned desperately. Black spots exploded across her vision as she thrashed and twisted beneath the crushing weight.

It felt like the tunnel itself was crawling down her throat, tasting every part of her fear.

Just as darkness began to swallow her whole, the thing finally pulled back.

A thin, bloody string of saliva stretched between their lips before snapping.

Then it smiled again.

That same broken, almost-human smile.

It spat something soft and wet onto Seren’s chest.

Her own tongue.

Seren stared in pure horror as the small piece of flesh landed with a dull, wet sound.

It twitched once.

Then lay completely still.

Blood bubbled up her throat and spilled endlessly from her lips.

She tried to scream again.

Only a wet, gurgling whimper escaped.

Seren’s hands trembled violently against the fingers crushing her throat. Blood soaked the sheets beneath them. Liora stared down at her silently. Those same familiar eyes. Now ruined by something endless underneath them.

“I tried my best…” Seren whispered brokenly, blood spilling with every word. “I held myself together for you…”

The room pulsed softly around them. Like the tunnel itself was listening.

“Why did it have to end like this…?”

The grip around her throat tightened. Not out of rage. Desperation.

“I didn’t want you to wake up…”

Blood slipped slowly from Seren’s ruined mouth as she stared upward in horror. And yet— part of her still saw Liora. Still wanted to believe.

Liora lowered itself closer. Forehead resting weakly against Seren’s.

“I wish there was some way to prove it to you…” Seren’s voice cracked, barely audible. “To show you my love was real…”

A long, wet pause.

“…even if I wasn’t.”